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From: gillett@ceomax.enet.dec.com (Christopher Gillett)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: COCOT-in-Violation Label File
Message-ID: <13482@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 11 Oct 90 17:52:53 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 731, Message 7 of 10


In article <13145@accuvax.nwu.edu> Tad Cook writes:

>Maybe you could dial 9-1-1 and say "oops ... wrong number!", or maybe
>"Telephone Man!  Just checking the line!".

>[Moderator's Note: I do not encourage you to imposter an employee of
>the telephone company 'just checking the line'. If you must call, just
>say you are checking to see if 911 is permitted on the line, and
>vacate quickly. But, see earlier replies in this thread. Given the

As an individual who has worked as a volunteer to various emergency
services organizations (fire dept and civil defense), I must strenuously
object to the practices described by Tad and PAT.  911, and other
emergency services numbers, are for emergencies ONLY and should never
be called unless there is truly a crisis.  In many areas, dialing 911
(or the equivalent) when there is not actually an emergency is
illegal.  And while the chance that an unnecessary call will foul
something up, or slow something down are admittedly remote, why take
the chance?

Also, many dispatch outfits will roll at least a police car if they
suspect "something fishy" (like maybe somebody trying to attract the
attention of the police without giving away that they are actually
calling them.  Yup, that sounds like something out of James Bond, but
it's happened before and probably will again).  Why risk a patrol
officers life by making him or her drive to a pay phone (at a higher
than usual rate of speed), just because you decided to play "wrong
number" games with the dispatcher.  I consider erroneous calls to 911
nearly as bad as pulling an alarm box just for fun.  It's unnecessary,
wasteful of resources, dangerous for the ES people, and potentially
very costly.
 
I understand the frustration with COCOTs, and I've had unpleasant
encounters with several in my travels.  But, as much as they are a
hassle, my feeling is that they should never, ever be disabled, or
made to appear as though they are not in service simply because they
don't meet regulatory specs, or because they charge lots 'o dollars to
use them.  If there's an emergency and I find a COCOT, I don't care if
it costs a quarter, or even a dollar, so long as I can get somebody to
help by reaching 911, or an operator, or even somebody else who can
call for help for me.
 
Let's look at this from a different angle.  Suppose, for a moment,
that one of you overzealous, frustrated, wanna-be-regulators slaps a
sticker over a working COCOT because it won't let you dial until you
stick in a quarter.  Some unfortunate soul runs up to it to call 911
to report the massive coronary he just witnessed taking place.  This
fellow sees the out of order sign, and since he doesn't have time to
read all the fine print, goes off in search of another phone.

And let's just suppose that this fine out of order sign means that it
takes an extra two minutes to get the EMTs rolling.  If the stricken
individual died, and a relative found out that a delayed response
contributed substantially to his demise, *and* found out that the
delay was caused by one of these phony Out of Order stickers, then the
relative would be right to track the lot of you down and sue all of
you,as well as the COCOT operator, and anybody else involved. (I can
see a sharp rattlesnake bringing suit against anybody acknowledging
participation in this "stickering" by alleging some sort of
"conspiracy".  It probably wouldn't stand up in court, but it could
well make your life miserable, cost you a bunch for your own
rattlesnake, and net the plaintiff's attorney a ton of free
publicity),
 
Yes, COCOTs are a pain.  Yes, many do not meet regulatory
specification.  Yes, something should be done about it.  If you want
to sticker the phone, then make up a polite sticker, designed to get
attention, that doesn't block the coin slot or render the phone
totally inoperative.  The sticker should ask the reader to not use
this telephone and give reasons why.  That way, when Joe Passerby
wants to call home to say he'll be late for dinner, he might think
twice before using the phone.  But when urgent help is needed, there's
at least a chance that somebody will make the damned thing work enough
to get assistance.
 
Just my $0.02 (well, ok $0.50).
 
Usually lurking,


Christopher Gillett               gillett@ceomax.enet.dec.com
Digital Equipment Corporation     
Hudson, Taxachusetts              (508) 568-7172
Semiconductor Engineering Group/Logic Simulation Group
Disclaimer: Ken Olsen speaks for Digital...I speak for me!